West Covina, California

West Covina is a city in Los Angeles County, California, located 19 miles (31 km) east of Downtown Los Angeles in the eastern San Gabriel Valley and is part of Greater Los Angeles. The population for the city was 106,098 at the 2010 census. The city is the sixty-second most populous city in California.

West Covina is a center for malls, shops, movie theaters, restaurants and diversity.

History

West Covina was incorporated as an independent city in 1923 to prevent the city of Covina from building a sewage farm in the area. Walnut groves and orange groves continued to flourish during the subsequent decades. The population in 1930 was 769 and blossomed to 1,549 in 1940. As a result of remarkable expansion during the post World War II building boom, West Covina became one of the fastest-growing U.S. cities between 1950 and 1960, with the population increasing 1,000 per cent from less than 5,000 to more than 50,000 citizens. The decades between 1960 and 2000 demonstrated steady growth, which slowed significantly by the time of the 2010 census.

High school

A high school (also secondary school, senior school, secondary college) is a school that provides adolescents with part or all of their secondary education. It may come after primary school or middle school and be followed by higher education or vocational training.

Terminology

The term "high school" originated in Scotland, with the world's oldest high school being Edinburgh's Royal High School from 1505. The Royal High School was used as a model for the first public high school in the United States, Boston Latin School founded in Boston, Massachusetts.

The precise stage of schooling provided by a high school differs from country to country, and may vary within the same jurisdiction. In all of New Zealand and Malaysia, along with most of Britain and parts of Australia, Bangladesh and Canada, high school means the same thing as secondary school, but instead of starting in 9th grade, these "secondary schools" begin at ages 11 or 12.

Country by country

Australia

In Australia, high school is a secondary school, from Year 7 or Year 8 through to Year 12, varying from state to state. High school immediately follows primary (elementary) school; therefore, a Year-7 Australian high-school student is sometimes as young as 12. In Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, the term "high school" generally refers to Years 7–10, whereas the term "College" is used for Years 11–12. In Victoria the term "secondary college" has largely replaced the term "high school" following the reforms of the Labor Government in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Some schools have retained the name "high school" (such as Melbourne High School) and many have now dropped the "secondary" and are simply known as "college".

Covina High School

Covina High School, commonly known as Covina High or CHS to the students, is a public high school located in Covina, California. Covina High School is one of three comprehensive high schools within the Covina-Valley Unified School District. Established in 1897, Covina High is the first and oldest high school in the school district and is accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges. There were approximately 1,650 students enrolled for the 2010–11 school year.

Covina High School is one of the oldest establishments in Covina. Its original campus, Covina Union High School, was located off of S. Citrus Ave and W. Puente St. and was opened in 1897, just a few years before Covina became an incorporated city. In 1956, Covina High School moved to its current location on Hollenbeck Ave. and was open for classes in 1957.

The teaching staff includes fifty-six regular education teachers and six special education teachers. Additional personnel include the school principal, two assistant principal, a student activities director, three counselors, and two library clerks.

West Covina High School

West Covina High School (WCHS) is a four year comprehensive secondary school located in West Covina, California, USA.

History

West Covina High School opened in 1956 on the old Covina High School campus on Citrus Ave. and Puente Ave. as the Spartans. In 1957, the school moved to its new campus, which was built on an old cabbage patch, on Cameron Ave. and Fernwood St. Blue and white were the school colors. The Spartans were led by Principal Maurice Wooden, brother of the legendary UCLA Bruins men's basketball coach John Wooden. The first class graduated in 1958.

In 1988, West Covina Unified School District merged Edgewood High School and West Covina High School, bringing all students to its current campus. The new mascot became the Bulldog and maroon and gold were chosen as the new school colors.

In 2005, WCHS became fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and a California Distinguished School.

Demographics

There has been a decrease in the percentage of white students and African American over the years with an increase in the number and percentage of Hispanic students. There is a large number of Asian American students, who are of mainly Chinese, Filipino, Taiwanese and Vietnamese descent.

West

West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of east and is perpendicular to north and south.

Etymology

The word "West" is a Germanic word passed into some Romance languages (ouest in French, oest in Catalan, ovest in Italian, oeste in Spanish and Portuguese). As is apparent in the Gothic term vasi (Visigoths), it stems from the same Indo-European root that gave the Sanskrit vas-ati (night) and vesper (evening) in Latin.

Navigation

To go west using a compass for navigation, one needs to set a bearing or azimuth of 270°.

West is the direction opposite that of the Earth's rotation on its axis, and is therefore the general direction towards which the Sun appears to constantly progress and eventually set.

Moving continuously west is following a circle of latitude.

Cultural

The phrase "the West" is often spoken in reference to the Western world, which includes Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the European Union, and the United States of America.